Pak: Karachi University professor "illegally detained" over HC Judge's degree
Sep 01, 2024
Islamabad [Pakistan], September 1 : Three police stations in Pakistan's Karachi allegedly "illegally detained" an Associate Professor and syndicate member at Karachi University, Dawn reported.
Riaz Ahmed was released on Saturday after eight hours in response to widespread outcry and protests, the Pakistan-based daily reported on Saturday.
Ahmed had talked about "external pressure" on the syndicate.
https://x.com/riazahmedis/status/1829745671651606998
Ahmed's colleague, Tauseef Ahmed, told Dawn that Ahmed left his home earlier on Saturday to go to the university. But, he did not reach there and no one knew where he might be.
Human Rights Commission of Pakistan Vice Chairperson Qazi Khizar told Dawn that Riaz was taken to Bahadurbad police station, but was released following protests. "He was detained for eight hours," he said.
As per a statement issued by Imran Khan's party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Ahmed was kidnapped after he spoke up about the pressures he was subjected to.
"Dr Riaz Ahmed of Karachi University was abducted as he had expressed his views on how the university authorities were being pressured to declare that Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri's educational record from four decades ago is questionable. Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri is one of the six judges of the Islamabad High Court who wrote a letter to the Supreme Judicial Council revealing interference in the judicial process, blackmail, harassment, & torture by Pakistan's premier intelligence agency, the ISI, in cases related to Imran Khan & PTI."
https://x.com/PTIofficial/status/1829930815792222391
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan condemned the detention of Riaz. In a statement, the HRCP said, "HRCP is deeply concerned by reports that Karachi University academic and political activist Dr Riaz Ahmed was earlier taken into custody and then reportedly disappeared forcibly by unidentified persons. Strangely, he was brought back to the police station after the police denied that they had detained him. This is the second time Dr Ahmad has been disappeared. In this case, no FIR was lodged against him, begging the question as to why he was detained at all. The use of such tactics must cease."
https://x.com/HRCP87/status/1829933890800439411
Meanwhile, the Secretary of the Karachi University Teachers' Association, Asad Tanoli announced that the teachers' body would boycott all the classes on Monday and expressed concerns over the "mysterious disappearance" of the professor.
